Lessons Learned from 32 Tech-for-Good Stories

💖 This Week's Byte

Even though the local context matters, tech-for-good stories across the globe share various similarities in their ‘recipe.’ Changemakers, therefore, need to continually learn from lessons, rather than focusing purely on their own initiatives.

📊 Did You Know?

Nonprofits play a crucial role in the impact sector. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics, in 2022, “over 300,000 nonprofit establishments accounted for 12.8 million jobs, or 9.9 percent of all private-sector jobs” in the country.

📖 7 Months Collecting Tech-for-Good Stories

For the past 32 weeks, Altruistic Byte has compiled various “tech-for-good” case studies from around the globe, seeking real-world insights for tech-driven change.

Here is what we have discovered:

• Information is power. For vulnerable people, having access to a certain type of information can be life-saving/changing.

• Government leadership is vital. A significant change requires a substantial investment, involving high-level authorities for both tangible and intangible assets.

• Simplicity brings scalability. The basic, low-tech implementation of information collection and dissemination flow works surprisingly well.

• Blockchain applications are on the rise. A growing concern about transparency in material and financial aid boosted the impact sector’s adoption of the emerging technology.

• People, people, people. The right approach differs depending on the context, especially what kind of people an initiative is dealing with.

• Investment in digital infrastructure is essential. Everything begins from there, and without reliable internet, all applications can be pointless.

• Buzzwords suppress context. Whenever stories are explained, fancy words like “AI”, “Blockchain”, “VR/AR” tell little to nothing. The real insights can be found before and after such tech solutions are implemented.

• Technology = impact amplifier. Tech improves the efficiency and effectiveness of our work, maximizing the return on investment (ROI) of meaningful initiatives.

Starting from next week, we’ll take a deeper look at each of the collective insights.

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💘 Your Altruistic Agenda

✅ What does “tech-for-good” mean, after all? See the implications from a free online course developed by UNESCO.

🇲🇼 How has one of the poorest countries in the world made strides toward digital transformation? Learn from firsthand insights, stories, and facts.

🤖 It’s the era of AI, but what does it mean in the development context? Get inspired by case studies.